


Frontline Fräuleins

by TextileTown



Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: Action, Danger, F/F, Non-Graphic Violence, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:47:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24106201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TextileTown/pseuds/TextileTown
Summary: A growing collection of stories chronicling the adventures of Constanze and Hannah as they battle against the forces of evil. The stories are stand alone with a shared a continuity.1) Kick The Cauldron (fun times are gun times)2) Mini Gunner (a derelict school with someone even worse than Finnelan)3) Mighty Battle Maiden (rain isn't the only thing that can spoil camping)
Relationships: Constanze Amalie von Braunschbank Albrechtsberger/Hannah England
Comments: 11
Kudos: 9





	1. Kick The Cauldron

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shortly after the events of the Grand Triskellion nine witches take advantage of having the school to themselves to play a game.
> 
> Mostly based on the real life game kick the can...mostly.

The 'Coven Missile Crisis' as one tabloid had named it was one week old. It had been a long week. The town of Blytonbury had been immediately invaded by the world's press and everyone from paranormal investigators to the Shiny Chariot Fanclub. The school was searched and investigated by the authorities and buffeted by requests for interviews. After careful consideration by the Headmistress a select few newspapers were to be given time on Saturday afternoon, the first day of half term holiday. Normally a number of overseas students would stay at the school during breaks, but such was the interest from witch families worldwide that they were all were obliged to return home to give their take on the spectacular events. 

Nine young witches remained at the school that Saturday. Seven to take part in the interviews and two out of loyalty to their blonde messiah. It was in the latter three's stately room, as lips were on the verge of meeting fine china cups, that there was a knock at the door and a familiar voice said “Hey, can I come in?”. Before any adequate reply had been given the little creak of the hinges heralded Amanda O'Neill's appearance. Hannah England refused to let the importunity go unanswered “O'Neill, you shouldn't just barge in”. 

“My apologies your highnessess, I thought you'd like to know the rest of us are going to play a game” Amanda informed them.

“What game?” snapped Barbara

“Kick the cauldron, O'Neill family rules” announced Amanda clearly expecting this to carry some significance “We'll wait for you to finish your princess tea time and meet in the quad, half past”

“We've not said we're playing” retorted Hannah 

“C'mon, how often do we get the whole school to ourselves? If you don't think you can hack it with the rest of us that's cool too” Amanda started to close the door “Quad, half past and no wands”.

Some called it the quad, others the courtyard, whatever it went by it was the large lawned area surrounded by the school buildings and featuring two large statues. Today it acted as the game's hub, as signified by the small cauldron at its centre. Five witches sat around it with Amanda standing to silently count down the seconds until half past. Akko, Lotte, Sucy, Jasminka and Constanze were fidgeting, a sign of the nervous energy of a stressful week. 

“OK, looks like they're not coming. Listen up these are the rules” said Amanda eager to get going. She was cut off by the regal entrance of Diana, Barbara and Hannah. “Glad you could make it. You're just in time for the rules”. Amanda then listed the rules that had been passed down to her.

1) One person (the seeker) is on and everyone hides while they count to one hundred  
2) You do not have to stay in the same hiding place  
3) When the seeker finds someone they say 'one, two, three' and that person's name  
4) The seeker then tries to kick the cauldron first to add that person to their posse of seekers  
5) If the hider kicks it first they are free and the seeker has to count to one hundred  
6) The last hider wins the game if they kick the cauldron when they are found  
7) The last hider loses if they get caught. The game starts again with them as the first seeker  
8) NO WANDS

Amanda finished by saying they would use the ground and first floors of the school and any communal areas like the dinning hall for the game; higher floors and classrooms would be out of bounds. 

Her exposition was met by seven nods and one confused look, luckily help was at hand. “Akko, you have to hide and if anyone says 'one, two, three Akko' you have to kick the cauldron before they do”. Sucy's explanation was met with a determined nod. Soon Amanda was counting next to the cauldron as the eight hiders dispersed around the school. 

Constanze Amalie von Braunschbank-Albrechtsberger general outlook was a serious one. This extended to the game and as she watched the other girls excitedly disappear into the school she removed two items from her uniform's waistcoat. The first was a small camera that she threw high against the wall, where it secured itself using small mechanical claws. The second item was a compact portable screen to receive images from the camera. With her preparation in place she walked to the far side of the quad to hide behind one of the walkway pillars. The heavy door on that side of the quad was locked meaning the other entrance would be used for the game, therefore her hiding place would be quiet. Knowing her room mate well she expected the impulsive girl would dash off into the school. Confident in her plan Constanze lent against the pillar, watching her screen until she could commence phase two of her plan, it being too noisey to carry out while Amanda was nearby. 

“Ninety nine, one hundred. Ready or not here I come” shouted Amanda. Soon afterwards her head poked round the dinning hall doorway to see as planned Jasminka working through a packet of chocolate biscuits left as bait. “One, two, three Jasminka” Amanda said with obvious satisfaction. Jasminka's eating stopped long enough to say “I'm sorry I forgot to hide” with a voice as pudgy as her happy belly. “Don't sweat it, head back to the quad when you're finished. You not seen anyone else in here have you?” came the nonchalant reply. A shaking head indicated not and Amanda jogged back to kick the cauldron and officially catch her first recruit.

In her under-stairs hideout Hannah's twitching ears were close enough to eavesdrop on what had just happened. She waited for the skipping step of Amanda and the plodding and munching of Jasminka to both pass before making a break for the dinning room, in the knowledge it would likely be safe for a while. Entering she was met with the comic sight of Akko tiptoeing from one hiding place to another, before freezing at the sound of Hannah's footsteps - with the apparent belief she was invisible if motionless. Akko's head slowly rotated to see who was there. If evidence was needed of Hannah's attempt to be friendlier it was on display as she called out “Akko, I'm hiding as well”. The frozen witch thawed and asked suspiciously “How do I know?”.

“How do you know what?” came the annoyed reply

“That you're not in Amanda's pussy?” 

“Akko! Posse, the word is posse” Hannah could forgive the mispronunciation, she could, however she decided not to. “Because if I were trying to capture you I would say one, two, three...Akko, and then you would need to get to the cauldron before me” Hannah heaped the sentence with plenty of menace.

“Wait a second...you just said that” Akko said as realisation hit her

“Exactly” Hannah replied like a mouse trap springing shut.

Hannah chuckled to herself as Akko bolted full tilt from the room. The blur of a little Japanese girl passed Jasminka, who was too focused on the last biscuit to pay much attention. Seconds later Akko dashed past the statue and kicked the cauldron, not hesitating to move off again in search of a new hiding place.

As this was happening Amanda was arriving at the library expecting to find Diana. Her instincts were sharp as Miss Diana Cavendish was ensconced in the hinter lands of the library. “Diana...Diana...I've always wondered what this place looks like and you know what, I'm already god damned bored, c'mon give us both a break and just come out. No? You want to play chase with Amanda?”. 

With that Amanda started into the room, scanning under tables then soon ascending the spiral staircase to the upper level, away from the main library room. Diana shrinking back into the shadowy recesses as she approached. “Hey I know you're up here. Look at all these carefully organised books?” Amanda said mockingly as she prowled along the shelves peering down each row. “Imagine if someone moved one to the wrong shelf”. She stopped to pick-up a book at random and read its cover “The Female Warlock, oh no is no-one going to stop me moving it? No-one? How sad, just like this place...you're good Di-job, but I'll be back”. With that Amanda left in search of easier prey. Leaving Diana to ache at not immediately being able to return the book to its proper place for fear of Amanda lying in wait, her only comfort the fact that her hair was clearly natural and everyone knew it.

While Amanda was away Constanze had entered phase two of her plan and via the aid of a grappling hook had tucked herself away on a high ledge, behind a pillar, at the far end of the quad. From here it would be easy to watch the game unfold on her little screen.

Kick the cauldron is a game that rewards experience and Amanda's expertise brought swift results after her poor luck in the library. Sucy had folded herself under the assembly hall lectern and could not unknot herself in time to escape Amanda. Lotte and Barbara, who had taken the oppourtunity to enter the normally off limits third year common room, then fell victim to the combined efforts of Amanda and Sucy. Working together Sucy, Lotte and Barbara nearly captured Akko who had taken refuge in the Library only for Diana to foil their plans. Diana's dedication to the place of learning was on display as she lead Akko back to hide once again amid the massive collection of books.

Akko and Diana were a good distance into the library when a deliberate cough revealed the hellion hunting them was hiding behind the main door. “One two three Akko and Diana” Amanda said with a rapidity that matched her movements as she bounded through the doors making sure to close them behind her to delay pursuit. Unfortunately Amanda's malevolent twinkling eyes lagged behind her body as it started to gather speed down the corridor and thereby realised too late that Ms Finnelan was walking towards her. 

Slamming on the breaks was not going to be enough and Amanda fell on her athletic posterior employing all the friction she could muster to avoid a collision. It worked as the dour glare of Finnelan The Dreadful watched the sliding teenager come to rest with inches to spare. The rebuke came swiftly “If you must play games I would appreciate if you did not destroy three hundred year old doors in the process” Finnelan said with a homeopathic trace of playfulness. The library doors opened and her favourite and least favourite student rushed through, only to stop dead in their tracks at the scene in front of them. Then as if guided by some telepathic link both girls started to walk, Akko somewhat mimicking Diana's very proper posture.

“Good morning Ms Finnelan, Miss O'Neill” said Diana as they approached.

“Good morning ladies. The staff will be setting up for the interviews in the botanical garden, I expect the school to be standing on our return. Off you go then Miss O'Neill” Finnelan said as she sidestepped the sitting girl and continued on her way. As they looked back and saw Finnelan move away the urge to start running for all three girls was irresistible. Amanda was on her feet in moments and starting her pursuit. Diana ordered to her faster partner “Go Akko, get to the cauldron, now!”. The effect was immediate as a gap opened up just as Amanda was about to draw level. 

The curve of the hall suited Akko's shorter quicker steps and allowed a distance to be maintained from the spiky haired speedster. Both girls bombed out of the door to the quad and passed by the statue on opposite sides sprinting towards the cauldron. Amanda's longer legs and junior soccer skills were enough to give her the edge and with a sliding tackle she kicked the cauldron first to her great satisfaction. 

Away from the action Hannah had become restless and concluded, with some justification, that moving around was in fact a better strategy than remaining in one spot. As such she had left the dinning room and was at that moment peering out a first floor window. Hannah's rather low opinion of Amanda guided her to the correct conclusion there would be no master plan to find her. That her posse, with its new recruits of Diana and Akko, would haphazardly search the school. Now it was down to just her and Constanze, in her opinion someone it would not be dignified to lose to, not of course that Hannah really knew the girl. 

Outlasting Barbara and Diana gave her some bragging rights, nothing that would compare to the satisfaction of beating all the dregs who had somehow levered themselves into her social group. Her agitation grew as she thought of all the fuss because they had ridden on a broom. A scowl creased her youthful skin that she was the one with the broom relay trophy and would have been far more useful than any of them; a point she felt was greatly overlooked in all the hoopla. 

A simple plan formed in her mind, to be near the cauldron and therefore stand a chance of getting to it first when she was found. Five minutes later her best ninja imitation brought her safely to the quad where she hid behind a pillar as far as possible from the entrance. A check of the pretty timepiece on her wrist and then a slow slide down the column to sit at the base and wait until she heard people approach. After twenty minutes had passed Hannah began to wonder if they had given up or been summoned by a teacher. She peeped out and saw the sun reflected off the cauldron and no sign of anyone. 

From her perch a short distance away Constanze observed the yellow hair ribbon disappear from view. She was surprised to see it quickly reappear, even more so to see its owner stagger back to collapse against the wall, a quivering hand fumbling where her wand would normally be. Constanze dropped to the ground causing Hannah to let out a yelp of surprise. 

“In the windows” Hannah said. Constanze moved over to Hannah, kneeling to allow them both to view the screen that gradually zoomed in from the wide view of the entire quad to focus on one of the windows and the creature behind it. Hannah read 'Authenticated Image' stamped across the screen shortly joined by 'Identity: Hobgoblin'.

“They're hobgoblins...they're hobgoblins! They eat witches” Hannah exclaimed to the placid girl beside her. Constanze reached down and took a small pistol like contraption from a holster strapped to her thigh and tucked the screen away; moving to the arch where her silhouetted hand beckoned to Hannah “...follow...”.

“What if they get us” Hannah stammered

“...sun...” said Constanze by pointing to the sky

“What are they doing here?” 

“...shrug...” came the taciturn reply

“And what ab...” Hannah's question was cut off as Constanze returned to grab a compliant hand. She led them out into the daylight and an orchestra of thuds as the gnarled beasts in the school smashed against the glass at the sight and nearing scent of two more witches. Constanze pulled Hannah close to her and shot the grappling hook into the school's rafters. The hobgoblins watched as both girls rocketed away from the ground as the mithril thread was reeled in by some mechanical wizardry. 

“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god” screamed Hannah as she slumped on the thin flat ledge at the apex of the roof. With her back against a chimney breast she now had a modicum of stability and after a few moments could think once again, asking the question foremost in her mind, “What about the others, you don't think they've already been...”. Constanze mimed “No!...you...stay...I...go...there”, her final gesture in the direction of her dorm-room roof. Hannah found the strange girls silent stoicism oddly comforting “OK you'll come back for me though, won't you?”. A raised thumb and then the littlest witch was gone.

Constanze jumped through the open window to land on her desk. To her great annoyance the authorities had swept the school in search of any of Croix's technology and her workshop had been cleared. Anticipating something of the kind, as soon as she returned from Arcturus a select few items had been hidden deep in the woods for safe keeping. A small chest in the corner of the room contained the items she had since brought back. This included three guns; two of her latest compact uzi like designs and her original trusted old faithful. A minute later everything she needed was stuffed in a bag and she was on her way back to Hannah.

On her roof top hideaway Hannah heard the sounds of small feet scurrying towards her, “Constanze!” said Hannah with relief and even a degree of new found affection as she appeared. There was no time for further sentimentality as a book was pulled from the bag and thrust in front of Hannah's face at a page midway through. Hannah recognised the book as the Concise Encyclopedia Witchtanika, opened to the entry on hobgoblins. A insistent finger was pointing half way down the entry and Hannah read aloud;

“Hobgoblins dwelt predominantly underground. They were thought to have been unable to survive in sunlight.” The finger moved down the page and Hannah skipped ahead “...despite their relatively small number they were greatly feared by witches due to hobgoblins hunting them for food. The few contemporary accounts describe witches being cooked alive in large pots. A process that could take several hours as the water was heated from cold, it is believed in an attempt to induce fear and thereby improve the flavour”. 

As she finished Constanze snapped the book shut startling Hannah for a moment. “That's why you knew they were still alive? How are we going to save them? Did you get your broom? They'll be terrified...what about...”. The book crashed down on the auburn hair, “Hey wh...” the book came down again this time with only token force. Hannah smiled “OK, OK, I'll calm down. What's the plan?”. Before any answer arrived two tiny hands reached down to straighten a yellow ribbon. Looking up Hannah had the odd thought that against the clear sky, with clear brave eyes, Constanze looked kind of magnificent. 

The contents of the holdall was laid out in single file along the ledge. Three gun and three wands gleamed in the sunlight.

“Why do you have guns?” Hannah asked 

“...shoot...” came the reply

“That makes sense I suppose” conceded Hannah.

“...take...” Constanze pointed to old faithful and Hannah picked it up, “Its light” she said with surprise, before being shown the key features and how the wand that powered it was attached. The uzis being powered by an internal gizmo did not need wands to function. 

With the lesson over the two girls stood on the roof top pinnacle as comrades in arms. One held the chimney next to her and first gun she had ever handled. The other stood carefree, two uzi like guns hanging by her side, their straps crossing her chest in the shape of an X. To complete the ensemble a wand hung by the sides of both girls. Constanze raised her left hand and started to count down as the last digit disappeared the grapple shot out across the length of the quad and then they were running down the roof holding both the grappling hook and each other. 

Flying they were used to, swinging down from a roof top to fight a horde of hungry monsters was a novel experience for both of them. Constanze retracted the thread with pin point precision to allow both girls to fly through the open door that lead from the quad into the school. The grapple was released and nothing then prevented them flying in to land heavily in the grand entrance hall. Layers of protective magic wrapt around them minutes earlier meant bumps and scrapes were suffered instead of broken bones.

The hobgoblins came scrambling and screeching to capture the new morsels that had fallen into their shaded realm. Oblivious to the danger that awaited them the salivating creature raced through the grand arched doorway into the entrance hall. Constanze's uzis whirred to life bringing death to the attackers. Hannah lip curled upwards to show the clenched teeth beneath as she joined in the assault. Soon the archway was still. A reassuring hand lowered Hannah's gun and their adrenaline fueled breathing reigned as the only sound. 

Having passed through the mangled remains the pair stood trepidatiously at the entrance to the cellars. The door showed every sign of having been forced open from the inside. Stairs faded into the ominous black and when they listened there was the faintest sound of things moving in the dark. “...us...cover...scent...hobgoblin...blood...” Constanze said seeking some advantage of stealth from the hobgoblins keen noses as they prepared to enter enemy territory. 

Hannah started to shake as the fear, adrenaline and reality of the situation struck; her dearest friends and some people she knew were going to die unless she risked her lift to save them. “My family they'll...and I've never had a boyfriend...I've never even kissed anyone” the lamentation halted as she felt a grip on her tie and her upper body being pulled, she realised what was about to happen a moment before it did and she let it happen, she wanted it to happen. It was not a polite kiss nor an affectionate one, it was raw and dirty. The grip tightened and brought her closer, driving away the thoughts monsters, until there was only a kiss for all the kisses that might not be. As quickly as it started it finished. The arms that brought her close, despite her resistance, pushed her away. Before her eyes opened the side of her face felt a touch. The palm staying against her cheek as Constaze's face filled her vision and the entirety of the ordeal cascaded back in to her mind, now though she was resolved to do what was needed.

The mistake Constanze had seen far too many people make in horror movies was not carrying automatic weaponry. With this in mind two heavily armed witches smeared in the thick grey hobgoblin blood descended into the Labyrinth that is Luna Nova's cellar. Both girls now held a ready wand in one hand and a Braunschbank-Albrechtsberger custom uzi in the other, with old faithful slung of Constanze's back. Visible only to them, a locating spell to their friends weaved a glowing red thread of energy through the maze of rooms, anterooms and sub-anterooms. Onwards they crept, the only light that of the thread of the location spell. A noise grew. It was water. Water running and splashing. Then they felt it under their feet. Another sound. Chittering and clanging. 

Now visible were pointed features given satanic emphasis by the locating spell's red light. Hannah felt the petite witch in front of her crouch. Guns raised in unison as the enemy approached with a brutish banter mixing speech and animalistic grunts. Hobgoblins came ever nearer, ever closer, revealing the long retired pans and buckets they carried to transport the water. The enemy furthest forward saw and paused for a scintilla, its night-vision finally making out the shape of two girls. It gave no time to consider why it could not smell them or why they stood there – it attacked.

There was no need for a signal as instincts took over and the first hobgoblin was torn apart by the barrage of gun fire. Then the next as the hobgoblins were thrown into panicked confusion and retreated into the darkness. Constanze flicked her wand and the green witch-light gave form to their surrounding. The water pipe that had had a section ripped from it and the shattered remnants of the fiends that carpeted the floor, their blood now mingling with the icy water. 

Hannah's finger left the trigger and immediately she felt the sharp pull on her arm from Constanze. They were running into the unknown, the only thing of certainty was each other. They ignored the slippery floor, the stench, the danger. All that mattered now was getting to their friends. The magical thread leading their way brought them into a massive room and as they moved down the broad steps the light from the wands was lost in the deep expanse. Then they could see their friends near the wall. The hands of their friends. The rest of their bodies obscured by a vast ceremonial cauldron atop a mound of wood, evidently harvested from boxes and abandoned brooms. A heavy metal bar lay across the top of the cauldron to which the girls were tied. Piled beside it were boxes and crates to form a ramshackle set of step. 

Hannah made to go, jolted to stop by a tug on her sleeve. It caused a tight panic to overtake her jubilation, making senses focus on the environment, the stale air, the spectral shadows and there, just audible the harsh language of the hobgoblins. A step back and she was level with the girl who still clasped her sleeve and who was looking for any movement in the far part of the cellar. Crouching with the cautiousness of the hunted, Hannah drew her mouth level with the acute ear of her commander “What do we do?”. 

There came no response and then the sensation of a hand leaving her sleeve. She wanted to feel the hand in hers, to know its strength and surety. Instead it rose and spoke to her “...you...there...cut...Five...Four...Three...Two...One...Now”. Hannah had her orders and she started to run as the cacophony of battle erupted. She had no time to look or to feel fear, her mission would not let her. The steps up to the cauldron were under her feet and then she was looking down at the pole and the rope and seven gagged faces looking up at her. The spell was of the most basic level, an unbinding spell and yet the noise grew and the eyes looking up at her implored to do it right. “Caliphium Poden” the words thrust out of her mouth, wand lowered and traced a path along the iron bar and one by one the ropes untied and the girls fell to the watery floor of the cauldron.

Hannah became aware the gun fire had stopped. The terror rose inside her as she turned to see the army of creatures approaching. In front of them, losing ground every second Constanze ran, her face a nexus of focus as she moved the dials on the gun she had crafted many months ago. Hannah watched as she looked up and with a leap cleared the first two steps up to the cauldron. Hannah had no orders, no instincts, no clue what to do, all she knew was that despite everything the girl about to reach her made her feel safe. Those sentiments meant that she gave no resistance as Constanze pushed her into the cauldron to land on the collective mass of her friends. Not a word rose from the cauldron and all was dark. The only sounds the growing thrumming reverb from old faithful and the ever nearing hobgoblins. 

Constanze stood at the top of the steps, her back to the creatures. She knew the timing would be close. Her best guess the hobgoblins would reach her. Given the number she had just shot, she expected the rest not to wait to cook her, perhaps it was better that way. Maybe her friends would be okay. Diana may grab the wand and rescue them, on the other hand maybe it would be Akko who grabbed it. Whatever happened she had given them a chance. And she had had her first and last kiss, it would have been nice to have had more...das ist das leben.

Without warning the discharge of energy ripped from the gun and punched through stone and earth until it escaped into the morning to illuminate the scene and a relieved heroine. With the light as her shield Constanze turned to face the creatures who were now in a blinded panic. As the steps collapsed from the thrashing creatures hands, she deftly stepped on to the cauldron where her feet found ample stability. All thoughts of attack had vanished from the fiends as fire ignited over their bodies and they tried to run back to the shadows. Old faithful was regretfully discarded just as the wand powering it crumbled to dust. Before it reached the ground Constanze's uzi was reaping the fleeing hobgoblins. Hannah rose from the cauldron lifted by Jazminka like a circus acrobat and let her uzi unleash a carnage of its own.

The nine witches walked through the musty cellar, despite their rough treatment they had suffered bruises and abrasions at worst. It was not their first perilous adventure and Diana had taken away their main concern by promising to be the one to explain everything to the teachers. Lotte had offered some explanation for where the hobgoblins had come from that no-one felt it necessary to analyse further.

As they emerged into the fresher air of the corridor Constanze said to anyone who happened to be watching “...smelly...” as the greyish blood covering them started to reek. A smiling Hannah copied her gesture as they were met with a chorus of emphatic agreement. They all noticed Amanda starting to sneak off and then yell “one, two, three Hannah and Consti”. Moments later she triumphantly kick the little cauldron in the quad and proceed to enjoy a victory dance. 

Constanze and Hannah took no notice as they headed up to warm showers, fresh clothes and maybe a little more time alone together before the day was through.


	2. Mini Gunner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A letter to Barbara about Constanze and Hannah's summer job in a long abandoned witch school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a follow up to Kick The Cauldron. It hopefully stands by itself, but you may want to read that first.

Dear Barbara,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing from a small resort in a little town on the Black Sea coast, where Constanze and I are taking a short and well earned break. My plan is to return home in the next week or so, therefore if you have time to write please address it there.

My prose, I fear, will fall short of the Nightfall books you are so fond of, however, hopefully the content, coupled with the fact that it is a true story, will offset this to some degree. Perhaps as introduction to my story it would be beneficial to give a recapitulation of the events following the hobgoblin infestation at Luna Nova.

As you will recall Constanze's necessarily heavy handed eradication of the horrible creatures was on the same day as press were gathered at the school to interview Diana and the others. Naturally the reporters caught wind of what had happened and therefore the whole incident generated a sizeable degree of public interest. The witch community also took notice following the detailed report published in the Luna Nova Newspaper (it always surprises me how wide the circulation is). The letters by post from commoners on the subject were few as they insist on doing everything electronically. However, as you will recall Constanze and I (as you know I did help out as best I could to remove the hobgoblin threat and gained a degree of the credit) received a letter requesting our help from a witch residing in a town called Karaburu in northern Turkey.

The local authorities had employed this witch to help with the renovating of the long abandoned Sazak School of Sorcery. The incident at our school had given the various interested parties concerns that there may be similar dangers at Sazak as at Luna Nova. They requested Constanze and I investigate the school to both reassure investors, and if all went well, it would result in early publicity for the witch themed resort they were planning to convert the place into (remarkable how witches are so swiftly en vogue).

You will remember we talked over my new found admiration and attachment to Constanze the night we sneaked out to the club and there was that whole business with Sucy spiking drinks; anyway as you will remember I thought it would be a good excuse to spend more time with my new friend and we, that is to say I, wrote back to say we would be happy to take up the offer during the summer holidays.

It was really nice of you to come and see us off at the airport and equally nice that we were flying business class, thereby avoiding mixing with the “everyday folk” as my Mama calls them. I will gloss over the travel it being uneventful and skip to our arrival at Karaburu.

The town is pretty, in a somewhat rundown way and busy with tourists at this time of year. The sea and scenery are lovely, all in all not bad place to spend a complimentary holiday. At the hotel we were met by the witch who had written to us and the manager of the resort project; Hecate the Mysterious and Mr. Timur Yal, I'll leave you to decipher which is witch!

This part of the world has very few witches, and from the example of Hecate, the ones they do have relied on theatrics to make up for the former paucity of magic in the area. “Greetings Sisters of the Powers Unseen” was her version of hello and it carried on like that. To be honest it was rather enjoyable playing along with, although Constanze as per usual was grumpy until we got down to the nitty gritty.

The plan agreed on was that we would do a full inspection of the school and remove anything untoward. We already had a reasonable idea of the time it would take from the building plans we found in the Luna Nova library. If everything went as anticipated it would be five days work to do the job. We had the hotel rooms for two weeks meaning that we would get a week of relaxation afterwards. We signed the contracts and then it was just a matter of waiting for Contanze's equipment to arrive.

There were two days to wait and naturally enough I intended to enjoy the time on the beach with a good book, a golden tan and a cocktail or two. It was some effort to bring Constanze around to this scheme, whether it was my womanly virtues or the fact I stole the journals she was reading that enticed her to join me - I shall leave for you to decide. With Constanze it is the little things that allow her to show she cares. For my tanning she set an alarm to make sure I did not get burnt and helped me apply my lotion, although I cannot imagine anyone turning down such a wonderful chore.

Following these rather pleasant two days we received word that the equipment had been delivered to the grounds of the school and set off early in the morning in Mr. Yal's car accompanied by Ms. the Mysterious. Constanze told me several times that she was annoyed that all her things had been taken to the site rather than the hotel where she could maintain it better (in other words tinker with it). I say told me, but the conversation remains exclusively through gestures, her robots and writing; I have made it clear I prefer the 'natural voice' of her gestures and expressions to the artificial recreation of the robots. I digress. To answer Constanze's complaint Mr. Yal pointed out that the items were transported under a controlled magical items seal, meaning the hotel would be reluctant to accept it. Despite the misgiving it all met with Constanze's approval when we arrived.

We were soon left alone to our task, with the car due to pick us up in the late afternoon each day, Mr. Yal acting as our chauffeur. After we had levitated the crate into the shade and Constanze started her check, I left to explore the site a little on my own. Depending on how charitable one feels it could be described as a mix of different architectural heritages or a mishmash of historical mishaps. In its favour is its situation near the sea, close to a cliff that ran for miles in either direction, except for the coast below the school where the land slopes downwards to a small sandy beach. The surrounding countryside is barren and rugged, although picturesque for that reason. The buildings themselves were in a sorry state, including various ruins left unattended for a century and overgrown to a sorry degree. In antiquity there was a druidic school on the same site and these ruins were all that was left of it. The newer school was built about one hundred years after Luna Nova and split into three main buildings.

The largest building in its heyday was no doubt impressive, with the front featuring a large domed tower and two small domes to neighbour it. On the ground and second floor it has many high arched windows. The upper floors are set back a bit and have windows of the same motif. The next building is similar in height to the first, circular, with a large glass dome. The last building is set back from the other two and much more recent and utilitarian. I will of course have more to say about these, for now though I hope they set the scene.

When I returned to Constanze she gave me a thumbs up. It will not surprise you to know that I have not learned the names of her guns, due to their owner identifying them by pointing alone. You would have recognised the “old faithful” as Amanda calls it, which is the first gun Constanze made, at least at the school, she appears to have got in to trouble for similar things back home. The uzis (as my brother named them) you will also recall from the hobgoblin affair. There were a few other guns, I imagine you have as little interest for further details at this stage of the story as I would in your position. The case also contained half a dozen of her robots, torches, goggles, grappling-guns and six heavy duty wands. Bits and bobs in a couple of boxes completed the inventory.

Our plan was to work methodically from the top of each building. My main job was to place a magic seal on each door when we had inspected the room, thereby allowing us to show Ms. Hecate the whole place had been checked.

First on our list was the newer building - the halls of residence. I read that the ley line collapse in the area happened rapidly and the dorm-rooms gave every sign of being abandoned suddenly with linen left on the beds and various items and books, even uniforms (trust me we should be thankful for the ones we have) where they were left a hundred years ago. Without Constanze it would have been an eerie place, her habit of being less affected by things that give me chills is always reassuring. As we progressed from room to room she started to make up stories about the people who had lived there based on what we found, it was very funny, but perhaps you had to be there.

Apart from some avian and reptilian squatters there was happily nothing for Constanze to shoot (she did not actually shoot the animals just aimed at them occasionally). There was one room different to the rest, the door had been smashed down and there were remains of bunk beds strewn in front of the doorway as if a barricade. At the time I suggested it was a game or joke that had gotten out of hand, sadly as you will hear that was not the case. I put the seal on the door frame and we left it at that.

It was four o'clock when we finished (the magical seals take a little while to complete) and as the car was due around five we thought to not bother starting on one of the other buildings and found a reasonably comfy rock to sit on and enjoy the view. Obviously “we didn't say anything to each other” does not give the full picture with Constanze, so perhaps it would be more accurate to say we did not feel the need to say anything to each other. Barbara, it was the first time I really believed that things may work out for us as a couple, rather than whatever we have been for the last few months. As we sat there she put her hand over mine and squeezed, I sensed that was all she wanted to do, not hold hands, not in public (not that she often holds hands in doors, just enough to keep me interested – the tease!). Anyway, enough lovey dovey stuff (for now).

The next day was a little overcast and so we decided to explore the site of the ancient school as Constanze has an aversion to being out in the sun too much. The ruins consisted of the usual columns and what not, I mentioned earlier it was largely overgrown, a shame really. Next we checked the other smaller buildings, all in all a rather uneventful day. That evening, at my instigation, we met for more of a formal meal at the best restaurant in town, the food was lovely. Sadly the staff did not know what to make of us and even brought Constanze a lollipop at the end, I asked for one as well which seemed to go down well with her. I wanted to, still want to, talk to her about how she feels about things like that, maybe one day soon.

Day number three was fortunately for the dramatic narrative, but unfortunately for us, when things started to get more fraught. Our first day in the main building. Four stories high, not including the cellar. The top floor was originally accommodation before the separate block was built when the school became more popular (according, that is, to a prospectus from 1901). Some rooms were empty others used for storage. On the final corridor there were a set of locked doors. Constanze picked the lock of the first room and I am sad to report we found a dead body, or to be accurate a skeleton. You will not be surprised to hear that I accompanied the discovery with a scream, if I were alone I would have most likely fled all the way back home without turning back once.

Constanze is made of sterner stuff and helped me feel a little braver. There was a similar horrible find behind all save one of the locked doors. Most appeared to be teachers, judging from what remained of their clothes, along with a couple of girls still in their uniforms. Neither of us wished to disturb them, Constanze, however insisted on inspecting at least one of them and made clear there was no need for me to assist. She reported no visible damage to the bones and so we suspected poison or starvation. The room without a body had an open window leading us to hypothesis that the captive girl or woman had tried to escape and, given the height, mostly likely fallen to her death.

After this we spent an hour or so outside away from the building gathering our thoughts. I am not ashamed to admit I had a little cry and poor Constanze did not know what to do and ended up patting my head. The decision we made next is not one I am comfortable with, at the time it had much to recommend it to us. With my tears dry, Constanze said that we had been informed the job was on account of uneasy investors following the hobgoblin incident at Luna Nova, we had taken the explanation at face value; however what if there were pre-existing reasons to believe the school was dangerous? Our recent macabre find gave credence to her thinking. Our logic was that if we revealed the discovery it would likely mean a police investigation, resulting in a postponement of our job at best, and possibly cancellation of the project altogether. Neither of us at that point trusted others would have as much interest in the truth as us and therefore our ability to discover what had happened was vital. All this convinced us that despite neither of us wishing to delay the girls being laid to rest, that it was the best course of action to uncover the truth.

When we re-entered the building we were now accompanied by three of her robots who acted as sentries and two who acted as sherpas for larger guns. The third floor was mostly offices and as with the bedrooms, contained much left behind. The most intriguing item was a book in what we assumed was the Head's office. It was a diary giving dates for delivery of rare potion ingredients in quantities too small for school work. There were also delivery of animals marked for sacrifices and the last page marked for a ritual that the translation spells rendered as 'The Dance of the Bloody Virgins'.

It takes a lot to get Constanze emotional, that afternoon she was really pissed-off (pardonnez-moi l'expression). Unlike the two previous days we worked right up until five o'clock and would have gone longer if there was not the need to avoid suspicion. Speaking of which, it is really not easy to calm Constanze down, fortunately her annoyed is not too dissimilar to her grumpy, and I made sure to be little miss talkative on the way back (and they say gossiping isn't a life skill!).

I know amongst all this business my love life should probably take second fiddle, but you are my best friend and I want to tell you. This was the first night that we actually spent time in one of the others rooms. We played cards, so you know, nothing scandalous, still a little barrier broken.

The following day we returned to the site and got working straight away. The lower two floors of the school were classrooms, lecture halls, etcetera. We found one of the classrooms in similar condition to the bedroom I mentioned earlier, the door had been destroyed and a path cleared through the desks that had been piled up. It is a little difficult for me to write the next part. On the blackboard were twenty three names and besides each one was goodbye written in their native tongue. Constanze was rigid with anger, I could tell she wanted to go back in time and destroy whatever had come through that door. It is difficult to describe how I felt, perhaps suffice to say that I think of those names everyday since I saw them.

We finished the rooms above ground and then, with some trepidation, at least on my part, we headed down into the cellars. The lights Constanze brought gave us a clear view, not that there was much to see and we surfaced with about half an hour until the car arrived. The last building was as you have no doubt realised the famed Library of Sazak. We both felt an urge to take more of look than the peek we had through its open doors on the second day.

Standing in the doorway it really did look impressive, with the marble floor stretching out invitingly in front of us. Crossing the threshold was like walking from a beach into an igloo. Even Constanze buckled as she looked at me with a worried expression I had never seen before. She made a sign to leave, that I was all too happy to obey.

Outside again it was like waking from a bad dream. Constanze set off at a pace and I of course ran after her, I would have rather spent an hour listening to Avery's karaoke than spend a second alone after being in that place. We collected three of her robots and left one outside at some distance and let two of them enter the library and we were watching them make their way to the centre of the ground floor when the car arrived.

Back at the hotel Constanze got out two of her view screens and sat crossed legged at the edge of the bed watching one, and I the other. I lay back on the bed (yes I did have ulterior motives and no I'm not ashamed of them as I was in need of affection) and watched the 'feed', I think they call it, from one of the robots in the library. It was still light and the robot's head was moving around allowing me to see the inside.

Constanze was very focused on her screen, although she kept moving around the room when tired of staying in a position too long. Eventually we ended up lying together on the bed, to be fair there was about a foot between us, using a clever ploy of getting up and coming back several times I narrowed the gap to an inch or two and left it at that.

When it turned dark we switched on their lights and not long after we heard the sound for the first time. It was a dull and faint, a little like a tambourine shaking to an uncertain rhythm. Constanze worked out it was coming from below, not knowing the layout of the place she waited while I went to fetch a map from my room. I rushed back and found her hunched over her screen. Peeping over her shoulder I saw the outside of the library approaching, as she steered the third robot, that had been left outside, towards the main door. It entered the library and made its way to the other two as they sat motionless on the floor.

Constanze is very fond of her robots, they are like little pets to her and seeing two of them broken was upsetting for her. After she had manoeuvred the third robot outside again and set up a motion alarm, she put the screen down and pulled a grumpy face. Knowing her as I do, normally she would have started making something. That not being an option I managed to get her to go outside to get some food, taking the screen in my bag. We walked around a bit and came to a nondescript touristy restaurant, for me there would have been nothing to recommend it, it did have a few arcade games that Constanze pointed to and gave the most adorable 'may we?' face. It turned out to be a lot of fun, much more than when forced to spend time watching my brother play them on family trips to the seaside. It rapidly became clear Constanze was very familiar with them. One in particular where you use a pink or blue plastic gun to shoot the characters in the game seemed to be extremely cathartic. I could not entirely follow what was going on in the game, however she played it for about half an hour and seemed happy when her character got embraced by a animated lady with a big bosom, which I assumed was the prize for winning.

The next day I re-discovered what Constanze is like when she gets serious. In her equipment she had packed two long protective coats for each of us and heavy duty boots, along with a pair each of the goggles similar to the ones you have probably seen her in occasionally. Her two uzis were slung around her and she carried a stubby little gun. I had my usual gun the “old faithful” and two wands around my waist with chains to attach them to the coat, as did she. The four remaining robots came with us carrying what I believed were all the other guns (I do not know what childhood incident gave her such of love of weapons, but at that point I was very pleased it had done).

It was the same chilling feeling as we entered the library, this time we kept our nerve and walked into the centre of the building. It must have looked magnificent in the past. Scores of ornate reading desks resting on polished marble. Floors full of books in rings around the walls giving a clear view to the great glass dome at the top. While I was admiring all this Constanze was knelt in front of the remains of her robots, mourning them.

As the sound we heard the previous night had come from below we searched and soon found stairs leading downwards. These stone steps followed the curve of the building, leaving all natural light behind us. At the bottom was a small alcove and leading away from it a single tunnel leading underneath the library's centre.

Constanze motioned to stop. There was clearly something unpleasant down the tunnel, I however, reminded her that we had agreed under no circumstances to split up. I soon understood her reluctance as we approached the bodies of three witches. Wands clutched in bony hands and clothes very different to those of the teachers we had seen the day before. A little way further along fallen rocks and debris prevented us seeing or progressing further. Instinctively I had taken Constanze's arm and my grip must have hurt, signalled by a gentle patting of my hand gently inviting me to relax my hold.

We both felt an obligation to these fellow witches, fallen victim to some evil long before we were born. Whatever had taken their lives, be it individual or conspiracy, we felt sure would be beyond those rocks. I recall saying, trying to comfort myself, that if it had been bricked-up for a hundred years any threat would have long perished. Similar empty words continued as we returned to the base of the steps.

While Constanze checked the weapons we sat and talked, reflecting on the duty to discover the truth, to honour the victims memories. As usual it was mainly me talking as Constanze listened. The more time I spend with her the more I learn that someone who does not speak, can be far from silent, we just need to learn how to listen to them (imagine me saying that a year ago!)

Constanze completed her checks and we both stood, she took an unexpected step backwards, and consequently upwards, to bring her level with me, removed her goggles and then mine (you can imagine what I was expecting/hoping for), instead she took my head in both her hands and lent her forehead to rest against mine. I cupped her hands in mine. Amidst everything it was a beautiful moment, just us breathing in unison and making our peace. When it was over she straightened my bow and I hers.

She selected a gun that looked like the ones you see the American soldiers have in war films (that you are forced to watch when your father and brother get control of the television). The remaining gun combined with three of the robots and ended up rather large, needing to rest on a tripod, it was odd looking with six barrels and seemed impractical to me. This big-gun was left in the alcove as a last line of defence.

I cast a levitation spell on the rocks and one by one moved them out the way, being of course careful of the corpses. To provide a degree of stealth Constanze turned off the torches and activated our goggles, letting us see in the dark. Everything was given a green tinge, apart from each other as we glowed with a red warmth. It took about ten minutes for a path to be cleared and then Constanze lead the way, leaving the last robot behind by the big-gun (not that she cares about robots more than me, at least that's what I tell myself). Her army gun was raised and I did like wise with “old faithful” and five seconds later I never knew how glad you could be to have a gun.

I will try to remain factual in the description, as my writing skills are not sufficient to convey the horror of that place. We entered a dome shaped cavern hewn out of the solid rock, a little smaller than the dinning hall at Luna Nova. Running along both sides were identical platforms. Attached to the rock above the platforms were chains at regular intervals and in the chains the bodies of thirty girls wrapped in shrouds, hanging upside down, their throats slit. The two platforms they were suspended above sloped downwards to reach a central point at the far side of the cavern. At this confluence was a throne in which sat a woman watching us enter.

When Constanze saw her, she flung an arm out to stop me going any further and we both stared as the woman looked back at us, slowly moving her head from side to side. Across the room and the distortion of the goggles, I could not see her clearly, what I could see were the many thick chains that secured her to the chair. It had, I think, struck Constanze straight away, and then dawned on me that there was not the same warm glow as when I looked at the living breathing Constanze. The feeling that had come over me when I first entered the library returned as I realised what this stranger was. Constanze realised as well and was backing away, one arm pushing against me, the other holding her gun that never ceased pointing at the necromancer.

The woman said “Parthénes” (I later found out it meant virgins), not loudly and yet the word bounced around the room. It was followed by the dead girls repeating it over and over. Their chains started to shake as the girls convulsed, the long lengths of clanging metal adding to the growing din. My legs turned to jelly, which Constanze must have sensed as she grabbed my elbow and turned us round to leave. I know you have heard me scream on several occasions, honestly when I saw that the three skeletal witches from the tunnel were walking towards us, I let out a scream like never before. Constanze pulled her trigger and nothing except a wisp of magic escaped the barrel. She then tried the uzi dangling by her side that had even more meagre effect. With no clue what I would cast I reached down for the wand by my left hip and felt it as dead as a stick.

I was sure we were done for and when Constanze threw away her army gun and grabbed me I was certain it was for a final embrace, thankfully it was not to be. Flicking her coat to one side Constanze pulled out her grapple-gun. Yanking me to the ground she then shot the grapple between the legs of the skeletal witches to grasp onto the big-gun at the far end of the tunnel. We grabbed each other tight and were pulled along the mercifully smooth floor by the device, entered the tunnel and bumped along the floor until we crashed into the big-gun that wobbled and then toppled over, fortunately not on to us.

We emerged breathless out into the sunlight and slammed shut the doors to the library. Constanze did not hang around, she headed straight over to the crate where her equipment was stored. I was nattering away, I think to let go of the tension and then when I started to get an inkling of what she was planning, I began to try and stop her. At the bottom of the crate was a long thin case and inside it a long thin gun. Unlike her other guns this one had bullets, I've only ever seen shotgun bullets before, when Papa is getting his stuff for hunting, and they looked similar except about twice as long, pointy and darker. There were six of them and she loaded one and then put the other five in her pocket.

I blocked her way and grabbed the gun as she tried to go. When her face raised up I was met with a terrible scowl, happily it soon softened to a look of mild exasperation and she rested the gun on the floor. From inside her coat she produced one of her little screens and brought up a picture of the blackboard with all the girls' names on. The next stage of her argument was a finger pointing in the direction of the library, her closing statement a hand in the shape of a gun making a shooting action.

Now, Barbara, I know we try not to mention your goth phase, but it happened and so I know you are well acquainted with necromancers. Believe me, in person they more than live up to their reputation and she was planning to go back to attack one – to kill one. To her credit she listened as I tried to reason that the place had acted as a prison for a hundred years and we should get help. Listened yes, agreed no. If she could be stubborn, then so could Hannah England. I span on my heels and started walking back to the library, gripping my gun and my wand.

Goggles fixed we moved stealthily down the steps back to the necromancer's lair. The thought of shooting those three witches, who had clearly died trying to contain the threat did not sit easily with me, on the other hand, they would have detested being controlled by that abomination. They launched at us the second we reached the last few steps, I managed to shoot one and Constanze the other two with her uzi. There was no time to mourn them as neither of us dare loose our focus.

Constanze readied herself at the cavern's edge just inside the mouth of the tunnel. Kneeling for stability and aiming at the Necromancer. Her first shot rang out. From inside of the cavern there was a clatter as the bullet bounced along the floor coming to rest near the throne. It clearly was not what was supposed to have happened and the fact Constanze continued to kneel in disbelief was not a good omen. That is when it hit me, what hit me – just wait!

Magic was weak in the library and was almost none existent in the cavern, what if we could feed magic from outside inside. Like taking a hosepipe into the desert. I pulled Constanze out of that horrible place, took her outside and explained it to her, my reward was a double thumbs up.

For the next half hour she was busy at work, using spare parts and cannibalising bits and pieces, she really is remarkable to watch. When done she had created something in appearance a bit like fairy lights. A wand at one end was secured outside, every dozen metres or so there was a wand or equivalent from one of her guns acting as relays and connecting these were lengths of cable. At the end of the chain was “old faithful” that would receive the flow of magic. And so we entered the library together one final time.

As you must have realised the whole place was designed to sap the necromancer's power. Ley line mechanics are way over my head, I assume though the disappearance of the area's main ley line was related to the creation of this magic void. With all that effort to limit her the necromancer was still able to impeded the flight of the bullet and control the girls sacrificed to her. At us entering the cavern they started their chant of “Parthénes”, shaking the chains to create that awful cacophony. Constanze held “old-faithful”, my job was to handle the cable that we hoped would provide the energy to kill the monster.

We stopped about ten metres from the throne, both trembling. Near to the throne the evil witch's features were clearer, aquiline and noble, her expression inquisitive and composed. Constanze raised her gun and over the relentless chanting and shaking chains I started to hear the buzz as the energy amassed in it. Poor Constanze was on the verge of graduating to full blown shaking. She clasped the gun close to her as best she could and was about to squeeze the trigger when the thrum from the weapon stopped. I turned and looked back along the length of cable. In the tunnel a ghastly amalgam of the three witches had the cable it its hand and was in the last stages gnawing through it - taking away the flow of magic to the gun.

The cavern went from noise to nothing, deathly silence describing the scene more accurately than any original turn of phrase I can think of. We had failed again and I could only think of escape. Constanze was aware what had happened and our eyes, or rather our goggles met - then it went dark. The only reassurance I can draw from that moment was I am not inclined to die from fright, because if I was it would have happened at that moment. In that time I felt as if Eternity had condemned me to a solitary and ever lasting imprisonment. When I felt those hands grip my arm I knew they could be no other than Constanze's the relief was indescribable. The distance from the necromancer seemed to have alleviated her shaking and her stoicism shielded her from the dread that had engulfed me. She seemed as blind as me and I assumed the necromancer had worked out what the goggles were and tipped the scales in her favour.

Like gas from a broken pipe, magic was leaking into the room, enough to let the necromancer display some of her true power and I really really wished she had not. The sound of the first manacle opening rang out across the room. My arm in Constanze's we flinched as one. We began our attempt to reach the tunnel, as the next manacle opened and then the next.

The thud of the first corpse falling free from their antique chains would have shattered my psyche had I been alone. To hear them rise and stumble their way across the platform to fall and recover on the cavern floor was a nightmare to me, to my dear friend the sound was enough to hurry. As we approached our wands started to glow letting us see the tunnel entrance. We rushed forward, the magic pouring into the room sufficient to allow Constanze's uzi to dispatch the skeletal witch at close range. I had no intention slowing my pace until I was safely tucked up in bed, in England. My progress was halted by the restraining hand of Constanze who had other ideas, starting with righting the big-gun that had fallen over during our last escape. I helped her and that done she rapidly explained her plan.

Running up the stairs and leaving her behind wrenched at my heart, sadly though I could see it was our last chance. I burst into the light and leapt on to the wand we had left at the far end of the cable to take magic down into the cavern. Ripping it from the ground I held in to my chest and started the incantation, as you know normally a wand loading spell is done once and then the magic released, this time I kept the incantation going as the magic funnelled down the cables and into the necromancers prison below. If you want a touch of soppiness (and I know you do) my mouth was repeating the words of the spell, my heart was saying that I believed in Constanze and wanted her back with me.

The sound of the big-gun firing became audible which was a fantastic relief as it meant Constanze was still alive and was attempting to carry out her plan. I needed to stay at my post and did until the sound of the gun fire stopped. It was over. Either Constanze had destroyed that vile sorceress or...

It is strange what deep affection can conquer and nothing in the world would have prevented me from returning to that little annex of Hades. There I found Constanze slouched against the wall, grabbed her and knew I had to act quickly. Thinking back there could have been a necromancer and thirty zombies bearing down on me, at the time though it just did not cross my mind. I lay her flat and started to follow the routine our dear Diana had drilled into us. I will not try and describe the relief I felt when she started to breath again, simply because I am unable to put it into words. All other instincts were foreign to me as I knelt beside her.

Somehow as she came back to consciousness her awareness of the situation was greater than mine and she attempted to see down the tunnel. The situation then returned to me and I picked her up, with who knows what strength, helped her up the stairs and out the library. We found a spot of shade and there Constanze retrieved her screen from her coat and gained control of her last remaining robot, manoeuvring it down the passage way to the edge of the cavern. The bodies of those poor girls lay close to the tunnel, thankfully they were unblemished by the fight. The robot's camera zoomed in across the room. All that remained of the necromancer was the tattered robe. The throne itself had been reduced to kindling. The fight over neither of us moved from the spot, if indeed we moved at all, until the car arrived. Constanze refused to tell me what happened in that final confrontation with the necromancer, my gratitude at her survival vastly outweighs my curiosity and my desire to pursue it.

I explained the whole thing to the owner Timur Yal and also Hecate the Mysterious who had come with him that day, no doubt as we forecast it would be our final day of work. There was a suspicious lack of surprise when I told them the story, and the surprise there was lacked authenticity. They did promise to arrange for proper burials of all the victims, as they were witches it is possible they have relatives still alive who remembered them and would attend and mourn them.

Constanze and I gave much thought to what had happened at the school. The best version of events we could create was the Headmistress, or someone with sway over her, was the necromancer and had created a cult at the school. Some resisted and were imprisoned in the rooms on the top floor and then victims were chosen for a ritual to increase the necromancer's power. The unlucky girls had barricaded themselves in where they could, but these were broken down and the ritual was completed. The three witches who we saw the skeletal remains of in the tunnel managed to contain the necromancer and create the magic sinkhole below the library. They had died in their struggle collapsing the tunnel as their last act. With the ley line weakened to the point of uselessness and fearing for their part in what had happened the staff and other pupils rapidly abandoned Sazak School of Sorcery.

That is our speculation, perhaps you will have a better ideas, I will be pleased to hear them if you do.

No doubt I have written enough for now and shown my lack of talent besides your beloved Annabelle. Mr Yal was nice enough to move us to a different (better) resort and I am finishing this letter on a table near the swimming pool. Constanze is sketching some designs and says hi. Our contracts dictate we are not supposed to tell anyone about what happened, so please keep it to yourself. I had to tell you of course otherwise I would have burst and I'm sure no one (or at least very few) would want that.

Very much looking forward to seeing you soon.

Fondest regards

Hannah 


	3. Mighty Battle Maiden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A camping trip to the north of England isn't Hannah's ideal holiday, but with Constanze with her how bad could it be?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "How sweet are looks that ladies bend  
> On whom their favours fall  
> For them I battle till the end  
> To save from shame and thrall"
> 
> From Sir Galahad, by Tennyson

“Scheissdreck cultists!” 

The unspoken words of rage could not save Constanze. 

Strength failed, grip broke and the lake consumed her tumbling form. 

Stinging cold. 

Shrouded confusion. 

Pitiless darkness. 

The water's surface 

The night's air. 

Gasp followed gasp as the witches continued their journey. Half a mile away they landed. Weary arms stretched out. Feet began to kick. Rain began to fall.

They were on a camping holiday, Constanze and her sweetheart. It was Constanze's idea and had required a little clever persuasion for Hannah to go. Success came through promoting the opportunity it would give Hannah to speed along country lanes in her snazzy red car, an eighteenth birthday present from her parents. And so they had set-out and headed north to The Lakes National Park. On the first night of their trip Hannah discovered sharing a jumbo sized sleeping bag with Constanze gave camping more of an appeal than expected. The second night they relocated to a semi-natural campsite with plots scattered around a meadow and a neighbouring wooded area. They chose a remote spot with a view over the largest of the lakes and had made camp there a few hours ago. 

Five minutes before her fall into the lake Constanze was returning from the toilet block at the far end of the campsite. She wore a cagoule thrown over her pink pyjamas festooned with little unicorns (Hannah's not entirely welcome gift to her from the new 'Miss Cavendish' fashion range recently launched by Diana's cousins). Nearing their tent she heard voices and the sound of struggle. Toiletries were discarded as Constanze dashed in flip-flopped feet to discover what was happening. The sight that greeted her was a group of witches mounting broomsticks, a sturdy one carrying the unconscious Hannah over a stocky shoulder. There was no time to do anything except sprint towards the group and leap to grab the birch twig brush of the last broom to leave the ground. Her tiny stature meant the broom's owner was unaware of her stowaway as she joined her comrades over the lake. 

“Nine be damned it's a scheissdreck long way, a scheissdreck long way” 

Constanze complained silently as the half-mile in front of her shrunk slowly despite her continued effort. In the balmy summer eve Constanze took comfort when the heavy rain began to fall that it was certainly no wetter than the water all around her. As she continued her slow progress she drew several conclusions. These witches did not know who they were, possibly not even that she and Hannah were witches, therefore did not know their growing reputation as problem solvers (or solution specialists as Hannah put it) for the more troublesome occurrences resulting from the magic renaissance. The next conclusion was sparked by one of the witches referring loudly mid-flight to Hannah as a “perfect virgin”, whatever definition the word currently possessed in the magic dictionaries it was outdated and Constanze could give plentiful first hand testimony to Hannah's complete lack of virginity. The third and final conclusion was that Constanze hated magic users who targeted young girls above all others and if Hannah was hurt...

“Deep breaths Constanze, deep scheissdreck breaths, you need to stay focused” 

Constanze steadied herself and saw the place where the witches landed was getting nearer. The lightning flashes showed a lawn leading straight to the edge of the lake. On either side of the tidy grass a mass of mature trees framed a large wide house. Most of the lights downstairs were on and a couple upstairs, indicating a number of people present. At the top, in the centre of the roof, stood a strange domed structure, reminiscent of a lighthouse's lantern room. 

The storm had passed when Constanze's hands finally made contact with the foliage at the far side of the lake. Arms and legs both shivered under assault from the fatigue and cold that emerging on to the land brought. She lay on her back, meditating on the strange star carved into the moon's surface, until the rise and fall of her chest gradually receded. Traces of light from the house made it through the interposing trees, nothing else came from that direction; no dogs, no trolls, no ogres. 

Before summoning the strength to stand, a search through the cagoule's pockets revealed; half a pack of mints, a very damp packet of tissues and lip balm, hardly the arsenal of a commando. 

“Okay, get in, get Hannah, get out...come back tomorrow and nuke the scheissdreck place”

Limbs were more mobile than expected and able to move Constanze quickly through the trees, until on the other side of the lawn she saw her target. She dashed out as fast as possible to the little garden shed. The door was unlocked and the interior dark, the light from her watch gave enough illumination to make out the equipment hung about the walls and sat on cobwebbed shelves. 

Constanze emerged a few minutes later. Her soaking wet pyjamas discarded, replaced by an old dust sheet serving as a poncho and cut-to-size waders acting as shorts. Both hands were adorned with gloves; one in possession of a mini chainsaw, the other gripping an A-frame ladder. Last of the equipment was a length of rope hung over her shoulder. 

Midnight was the time dark rituals invariably took place, meaning there was not long to go. In search of a way in Constanze ran to the side of the house with the fewest lights and fixed on a first floor window. Entering stealthily into the empty bedroom the plan of action ran through her head one final time;

“Occultist ceremonies are either high up or in a cave. There are caves in this area, but also that weird dome thing on the roof. Check the bedrooms, the roof and then that just leaves a cave...I hate caves”

Her plan made, Constanze stepped out into the well lit corridor that stretched the length of the house. Bare feet made little noise on the plush carpet. Each room checked and each one empty as she neared the landing. Pausing at the top of the grand staircase, that curved in a wide spiral up from the hall below, she listened to the sound of a civilised party; chitter-chatter, people moving about, some light jazz. Then a voice called out brimming with excitement; 

“Glass number three for dear Kay...Kay where are you get it while it's warm my dear!” 

Clutching the chainsaw, each foot step balanced speed with the need to avoid detection as Constanze crept to the ground floor. The staircase curved gradually from the left of the landing to finish at the right hand side of the entance hall. Constance stopped half way to peak between the banister's wide spindles. The large space of the hall lead through open doors to a room facing out over the garden. Congregated inside the room were two dozen witches taking an occasional interest in the horrible human centre piece of the party - Hannah. She lay on a table, asleep in her own pink pyjamas with unicorn pattern, as a tube fed blood from her arm into an ornate goblet. There was nothing to do except observe this as tactical datum; a single treacherous tear betraying Constanze's true feelings. Continuing down the staircase with deep, slow breaths she took a final reconnaissance of the hall.

Across from the bottom of the stairs, on the other side from her, a large antique cauldron bulged with the guests' broomsticks. Constanze's sharp brain cut through the torment so near her and propelled her to action. Moments later she slid down the rope secured above the cauldron to land undetected by the brooms. With a brief thought that she would never play pick-up-sticks again, a single broom was removed from the others in silence and quietly mounted. 

“Tia Freyre” 

Constanze mouthed the incantation and felt the broom lift off the ground to float between her legs as she primed the chainsaw, flicked the choke, said a little prayer and pulled the chord. It roared to life filling the hall with thunderous noise. As the engine echoed around the house, from her hidden position Constanze brought the saw's spinning teeth to bear on the hazel wood of the brooms and within seconds cut through them all. A few witches entered the hall, by then it was too late, they were forced to duck when Constanze flew at them with whirring chainsaw in hand.

Even an Amanda O'Neil or Chariot du Nord would have been impressed by her flying display. Swooping into the room she discarded the chainsaw, gripped the broom tightly, reached down, grabbed Hannah's wrist and in one fluid motion pulled her unconscious body off the table. The stolen broom accelerated through the open patio doors and out into the night. At a safe distance a deft manoeuvre halted the broom in mid air allowing inertia to bring Hannah's body to rest over the broom. Her limbs dangling limply could not have been more ungainly, nevertheless she was secure enough to fly away from the house with all the speed Constanze could muster. There was no pursuit yet, it would come soon, all too soon.

Their relationship had started by fluke. In the desperate bonding of a life or death attempt to rescue their friends. With the exception of Barbara and Lotte, none of those friends, or anyone else, really understood why they were together. To be fair to onlookers it had taken time for Hannah to consciously understand that she felt comfort in Constanze strength of will, joy when Constanze opened a part of herself locked from everyone else. Constanze fondness for Hannah's cuteness, although secret, extended back to the first assembly of the first year. When they became closer Hannah's spirit and drive enchanted Constanze more and more, enhanced by its growing nobility. In her Constanze found a companion who made the effort to truly understand her, but who knew that it would take time and did not push. Their adventures brought them closer through shared trust and growing admiration for the very different skills they possessed. It was a relationship that needed movement and not comfort, they were not soul-mates, they were team-mates – in a team more dear to them every day.

When they left for their camping trip Hannah had of course complained that the boot of her car was being packed with some new guns that Constanze was on the brink of perfecting, she had no intention of stopping it, to register her complaint was sufficient. It was these guns that were Constanze focus as they crossed the lake. They were not her priority, Hannah was, the cult would have repaired their broomsticks and be after them by now. She had no idea of where the nearest hospital was and even if she did, it was doubtful they could get close before their pursuers intercepted them.

It was with these thoughts that she touched down beside their tent. Laying Hannah on the soggy ground with all the gentleness her broom skills could afford. Constanze dashed inside the tent and emerged with hiking boots on her feet, a wand in her hand and car keys in her teeth. A levitation spell and short flight later they arrived at the car, where Hannah soon slept peacefully on the back seat. Calling the police would be sensible, ambulance essential. After a flurry of typing on her watch's keypad she called the emergency services on the car's inbuilt telephone. The operator answered and the watch spoke the words that would bring help to her girlfriend. 

Constanze extracted her three newest toys from the boot. The latest incarnation of her sniper rifle and accompanying bandoleer found a place over her right shoulder. Slung over the left the compact 'little piggy'. Last, proudly gripped with both hands against her chest 'big bad wolf' made her tingle with a guilty flush of excitement that her ultimate creation would get an outing. A moment before she left the car to take up position by the lake, Hannah's spare make-up box caught her eye. Spreading mascara over her face as camouflage would have met her girlfriend's ire, Constanze knew it worth it for the perfect finishing touch.

Being a witch, even a student, grants some exemptions from commoner law. Other areas of witchcraft were simply outside of police jurisdiction – after all cop cars had difficulty patrolling ley lines. Killing people was in neither of these categories and Constanze's weapons had never been designed to be used on humans, even girlfriend kidnapping cultist witch humans. If Hannah had not been sleeping soundly in the back seat of her car then such consideration for the guilty may have been nothing. As things stood they could not be ignored and the weapons lethality was suitably reduced to the equivalent of Jasminka wielding a sack of weapons grade potatoes – a big sack. 

The guns weighed Constanze down as her short quick strides took her towards the lake. Casting as she moved, anti-fatigue and protection spells soon permeated her body. Such things had become Hannah's domain and her lesser skill meant the spells would be more visible to the witches, a little smirk almost broke over her face as she squeezed 'big bad wolf';

“Like lambs to the slaughter” 

The trees near their tent were on raised ground over-looking the lake and offered a great vantage point for sniping. Constanze found a spot on the edge of the tree line. With rifle in hand she crouched down and surveyed the wide panorama for signs of the enemy. No movement came from above the lake. Underestimating enemies was something she had tried to proof herself against. Viewing hundred of horror movies built a base of theory to test in the laboratory of adventures. Get them before they get you worked...most of the time.

As if synchronised by a special effects master the fireballs struck at the same moment, the canopy above exploding in flame. Heat and noise bursting down on Constanze in nearly equal measure. She fell down, forearms covering her head as balls of flame raced towards her from both sides, engulfing the tree trunks near her with their heat. There is an old wisdom not to fight the same enemy repeatedly because they will come to know your weaknesses; for Constanze as the flames singed her poncho there was a realisation that she had fought too many similar enemies and grown to rely on their weaknesses. The witches attacking her were cunning beyond any monster she had fought and they were there to kill her.

Constanze abandoned her rifle and with deep regret the cumbersome 'big bad wolf' to run through the woods as fast as she could. In her right hand she gripped 'little piggy' the culmination of her designs for a small gun - twin barrels housed in a cylindrical chrome plated stock that tailed off into an ornate wing, designed equally for ornament and practical butt. 

Bursting out the edge of the trees the campsite was laid out beneath her. Skywards a swirling company of witches awaited Constanze, occasionally striking down fleeing campers with amnesia spells. If she had been able to keep 'big bad wolf' things would have been much easier, regret did not linger as her thumb set the gun she did have to automatic. She took aim before the witches above realised she had appeared. Two were knocked from their brooms in rapid succession, one hitting the ground with a thump and the other crashing on to an abandoned tent. Spotting the danger the other witches flew straight up to escape. 

Constanze ran. Hannah's car was now visible and also two witches dragging her from it. A flick of her thumb and a night-vision scope popped out of 'little piggy' and its barrels extended. She could sense more than feel the huge fireball descending towards her a little before the first shot connected with the first witch, when she hit and downed the second one her senses could feel the all engulfing heat. It would take more than that to lose her cool. The switch clicked down to the last setting, barrels retracting and scope disappearing once again into the housing. Constanze span, her feet squelching in to the muddy path. Crouching down she put her weight on the butt pressing both barrels in to the damp soil, a quick glance behind and she squeezed the trigger.

In Germany Constanze's favourite place to stay was with her grandfather. He lived in the countryside in a grand old schloss, the last physical remnant of the family's ennobled past. Formerly an engineer like her father, he had made himself wealthy and enjoyed a retirement of inventing and entertaining family and friends. Constanze had learned many things from him and in the last few years he from her. Like most grandparents he had been more lenient than parents and had indulged her growing fascination with guns as safely as he could. The copious grounds of his house provided an area for practice and testing. She owed him a great deal. The fleeting recollection faded as Constanze approached the ground a few metres from Hannah's precious car. Using the gun's full discharge setting to send her flying through the air had occurred to her so swiftly that no planning was possible. The impact would exhaust the protection spell and there would be no time for a second one, all that was left was to relax and await touch down.

The sodden earth met Constanze's back and bounced her like a deflating ball to hit the harsh side of the car. Her gun flew from her hand on the first impact and span away on it's own journey to lie nothing more than a hunk of pretty junk. Constanze scrambled to her feet, unceremoniously hooked her arms under Hannah armpits and began to drag her darling the short distance to the car. How she then wished for the strength of her room-mates, who would have found no effort in moving the dead-weight that to her was like competing in a strong woman competition. With a final grunting effort Constanze pulled Hannah on to the driver's seat and slammed the red door shut.

The famous Tini cars had been popular since the sixties and their trendy, modern incarnation suited her girlfriend well. Hannah was really grateful when Constanze agreed to add a few upgrades and had given little thought to the four days it had been in the workshop...how different she had been then. Now the little interior light shined down on Hannah's pale cheeks, on hair free from her bow and falling limply about her. Constanze leaned over and fastened the seatbelt to secure her girlfriend's slumped body in the driver's seat. 

In total thirteen witches arrived at the car. None of them had seen a device like 'little piggy' before and were relieved to see it abandoned. Confident they had secured victory their leader announced both girls would return with them, one to finish being drained and the other to watch and then taken to the dungeon for suitable amusements. The thirteen dismounted and watched in approval as their leader tapped on the driver's window and smiled across at the miniscule teenager standing on the passengers seat holding down the button for the hazard warning lights. 

“She's gone quiet mad ladies!” 

Constanze returned the leader's gaze and the feeling of imminent triumph melted away at the steel in the unflinching eyes. The boyfriend of another chosen girl had somehow managed to find the cult and confronted them with the similar gall. In the dungeon he had screamed and begged for his life so very prettily. Buoyed by the memory the leader's lips formed a callous grin. Then the car's interior light went out and Constanze and Hannah were shrouded in darkness.

The cult's leader stepped away at the sudden roar of pistons and gears. All the witches moved backwards amazed to see panels move and a bright white light shine forth. They retreated further as mechanical legs emerged and embedded themselves into the ground and hulking robotic arms swung out and pushed the transformed car upwards to stand giant like. Hannah's pride and joy had become Mighty Battle Maiden-Mark 1.

The mecha retained characteristics of the car superimposed on a robotic form standing twice as tall as the car was long. The front seats of the car looked out from a glass bubble frontage where a head and chest would be on a person. The witches stood in awe of the robot that towered above them, but only for a moment. Their leader screeched an order to attack and from her wand launched a ball of plasma towards the cockpit of the Mighty Battle Maiden. The approaching glow caught Constanze's attention, the joysticks that now protruded from the dashboard let her raise an arm to block the blast from hitting the cockpit. The impact was more serious than the damage, jolting the machine and forcing a giant leg to move back to steady itself. 

From the bulbous forearms of the Battle Maiden guns appeared and were levelled at witches' leader. Lady Fortune, for reason best know to herself, was kindly disposed to the leader at that instant, and her comrades reading her fear and inspired by example started their assault. Acting in unspoken co-ordination half the witches cast a spell to turn the ground under the Maiden's feet from muddy earth to swampy bog, the others sent from their wands bands of glowing energy, wrapping the mechanical marvel in rope like binds to drag it further down. Constanze rallied against this fate, her teeth gritted and lips snarled. The magical motors whirled against the force of gravity and the ever tightening ropes that pressed the great arms to close against the body. Observing with relief the changed flow of the fight, the leader stepped towards the Mighty Battle Maiden a smile spreading wider with each step.

“Oh my, looks like your little toy needs new batteries,” the leader gloated over the noise of straining pistons, “Erminity, Caligulia, Zante, focus on the pilot and cast a sleeping spell”

The Maiden's pilot reached her hand to a dial positioned where the car's radio once was. The needle pointed to the thirty percent marker. Constanze had good reason to set the power at that level, it meant that with a little effort she could give Hannah her car back, any more and the transformation would go beyond the point of no return. Quite how angry Hannah would be to lose her beloved 'Matilda' Constanze did not know, it was infinitely preferable to seeing her fall once again in to the cult's hands. Strong little fingers span the dial all the way to one hundred. A flash of brilliant light interrupted the witches spell casting. Once it cleared the vestiges of a vehicle in the mecha's appearance were gone and in its place shining red armour and smooth chrome like joints. The glass in the domed head was now as reflectively opaque as an astronaut's helmet and yet it was clear to all the cult that inside sat a girl who had finished playing games.

Mighty Battle Maiden dropped with the speed of a wrestler, splashing mud out in all directions and loosening the magical ropes holding it. Rising as quickly as it knelt, two massive hands grasped the magical ropes yanking half a dozen witches off the ground who saved themselves by ending the binding spells. Inside the cockpit Constanze's arms were shaking with burning exhaustion. Hannah slept on secure in the fighter jet restraints that now secured her. 

“Kill them, kill those two little bitches!”

The witches all followed their leader's orders and soon a barrage of fire, lightning and plasma assaulted the carapace of the Battle Maiden. The guns now mounted on both arms whirled hot, as Constanze with some reluctance, set them to non-lethal potato sack power levels and opened fire. The first bolt of energy struck a witch and sent her flying backwards as if she were rolling down a hill, the next fell the same way, a few gathered together and erected a magic barrier, while others began to flee on their brooms. The Battle Maiden picked off the fleeing ones first, then moved to loom above the witches chanting their defensive magic. A mighty fist fell on the enchanted shield that surrounded the witches causing them to cower on the floor, a second blow and there was nothing left to protect them from Constanze relieving the itch in her trigger finger and leaving them all bruised and concussed. 

Surveying the scene Constanze saw the leader's broom disappearing over the tree tops out towards the lake. The machine thundered after her, huge feet imprinting massive dents in the ground as it raced to a vantage point besides the crumbling burning wood. Mighty Battle Maiden cast a long shadow and glimmered in the light of the conflagration that burned behind. The left arm rose and below the mechanical hand a long chrome like barrel extended. 

The cockpit's two occupants were illuminated only by the cold moon and warm vacuum tube glow of the controls. From the former dashboard a second joystick emerged, topped with a single red button. Against the cockpit glass a red cross hair appeared. Constanze arm trebled with violent fatigue as she tried and failed to aim the cross hairs at the back of the fleeing cult leader. 

“May I?” 

Hannah's voice was weak and so was the simple nod of agreement from Constanze. Hannah turned away from her darling Conziekins and wrapped a delicate hand around the joystick. Subtle shifts soon lit the cross hairs green and she pressed down on the red button. The beam shot over the lake like a blazing dragon many times faster than the witches' leader moved, congealing and encasing her in a mass of energy that slowly floated back towards the Mighty Battle Maiden.

Inside the mecha Constanze and Hannah looked over the lake and the little glow of light approaching. Hannah noticed a dangling air freshner that had survived the transformation to sway above them.

“Is this - is this my car?” Hannah asked turning to look at Constanze, who continued to look out over the lake

Constanze nodded and continued to keep her attention outside as Hannah inspected the strange interior.

“I see, I see...not sure I remember giving you permission for that,” Hannah said chidingly, “you can turn in back, right?”

Constanze gave a nervous shake of her head as if the past hours had been insufficient warm-up for this terrible assault.

“So my eighteenth birthday present, is now some sort of giant robot...oh dear, do you want to make that up to me?”

Constanze replied with a worried nod.

“Excellent, in that case you know that thing you always say no to every time I ask to do it - we're going to do that tomorrow”

Constanze face started to turn a hue similar to the Maiden's brilliant red armour and a gulp escaped down her throat. The sound of distant sirens reached them and Constanze felt the grip of Hannah's hand in hers, the normally immaculate skin tarnished by streaks of mud and her own dried blood.

“...” 

Constanze lost her words as she turned to see Hannah asleep with the most contented face she had ever witnessed. She began to wish their adventures together would never end, only to fall fast asleep in the middle of the first restful thought of that long long night.


End file.
